COLUMBIA, S.C. — North Carolina’s first impression on this football season left coach Larry Fedora calling for more from his team’s offense.

Sure, sixth-ranked South Carolina, which defeated the Tar Heels 27-10 in Thursday night’s opener, figures to be a player in the hunt for the Southeastern Conference title, and maybe even the national championship.

But still, for Fedora, that became of minimal consolation. A single touchdown wasn’t how North Carolina’s high-tempo offense, known for piling up points and yards in sizeable chunks, is expected to operate.

“We’ve got to execute,” Fedora said after the game at Williams-Brice Stadium. “If we execute like that, it isn’t going to matter for us. We won’t have a chance.

“We’ve got to make better decisions with the ball. We’ve got to block better. We’ve got to run harder, all the different things. You’ve got to make plays and we didn’t make those.”

North Carolina’s 10 points marked its worst scoring output in 13 games under Fedora, the second-year coach. The Tar Heels averaged more than 40 points per game last season, with 18 points in a victory against Miami and 27 points (twice, loss at Wake Forest and win vs. East Carolina) standing as their lowest totals.

Most bothersome Thursday night had to be North Carolina’s two trips to the doorstep of the end zone that ended in whimpers instead of more impactful results.

Trailing 20-7, the Tar Heels started the second half by moving 67 yards in 17 plays and reaching a first-and-goal at South Carolina’s 6-yard line, which then became second-and-goal from the 2.

That drive ended with Thomas Moore’s 20-yard field goal, North Carolina’s only points of the second half.

The Tar Heels’ final possession fizzled in the final minute of the game when quarterback Bryn Renner stumbled on fourth down 1 yard shy of the end zone. That was the last of four straight snaps for North Carolina from the Gamecocks’ 2-yard line.

“We stalled twice down there, had opportunities to get the ball in and we didn’t do it,” Fedora said. “We’ve still got a long way to go, a lot of work to do.”

â–Ş EXTRA POINTS Â…: Fedora mentioned the defensive play of Norkeithus Otis as a positive from Thursday night. Otis, a bandit or hybrid defensive end / outside linebacker in the Tar HeelsÂ’ scheme, supplied five tackles, two stops for lost yardage and North CarolinaÂ’s only sack. He also was credited with two hurries on South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw. Â“It seemed like he was all over the place,Â” Fedora said of Otis. Â… North Carolina long snapper Mack Lloyd suffered a right-leg injury while covering a punt in the second quarter. He was carted off the field and never returned to the game. Â… Renner finished 26 of 43 for 194 passing yards. He hasnÂ’t thrown an interception in his last 134 attempts. Â… South Carolina was the highest-ranked team North Carolina has faced since playing then-No. 5 Virginia Tech in 2005. Â… South Carolina won its 14th consecutive season opener. The GamecocksÂ’ last loss to start a season came in 1999 against North Carolina State. Â… South CarolinaÂ’s Steve Spurrier improved to 23-1 in season openers as a college head coach.